


That's What Friends Do

by xo_marauders



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Depressed Remus Lupin, James Potter is a Good Friend, Marauders, Marauders era, Platonic Cuddling, Poor Remus, Sad Remus Lupin, Supportive James Potter, Werewof Problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22291828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xo_marauders/pseuds/xo_marauders
Summary: Despite popular belief that James Potter was too arrogant to be empathetic toward anyone else’s needs, Remus knew the truth. Out of all of them, James was probably the most empathetic, carrying the weight of his friends’ troubles on his shoulders without question because, as he had often put it, “that’s just what friends do.”-In other words, Remus is already feeling the effects of the full moon and finds comfort in his friend.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter (implied), Sirius Black/Remus Lupin (implied)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 116





	That's What Friends Do

**Author's Note:**

> tw: implied depression

Two days. Two days until the full moon and Remus was _already_ feeling it. The prickliness of his skin, the vibrating of his nerves and the ache in his gums, acting as a reminder that he shared his body with a beast. He’d skivved off classes, feeling simultaneously too tired and too wound up to sit through lectures for the day. In an attempt to not feel completely pathetic, he had worked his way down to the common room to get some studying done. As he sat in front of the fireplace, staring at his Defense book, knee vibrating anxiously beneath it, he found that the words on the page were not sticking in his mind. He just could not seem to focus and with a fit of rage, he hurled the book across the room, not bothering to see where it had landed.

“Oi,” Came a familiar voice and Remus spun around in surprise. Standing there was James, his bag slung over his shoulder and dress shirt looking quite wrinkled from lying on the floor of their dorm room. His hair was messed up as if he hadn’t even combed it that morning and his tie was crooked. In his hand was Remus’ book. “Trying to kill me with this, mate?”

“Sorry.” Remus said. “I didn’t know you were right there.”

He turned back to the fire, missing the small frown of concern that crossed over James’ features before he made his way towards his friend. The end of the couch shifted as James sat down, placing the book on the floor gently beside him. He regarded Remus with a calculated look, careful to erase any pity that may have appeared on his face, knowing how much the other boy despised such looks.

James understood very well the effects the moon had on Remus, even when it was not at its full. He also understood that there was very little he could do to make his friends’ suffering disappear. But he sure as hell would try.

“Have you eaten today?”

Remus shook his head. “No, James I haven’t. I have been held up in the dorm room most the day trying to catch up on the sleep I didn’t get last night and when that failed, I came down here to study, to try and be productive. Which also failed. Because I can’t function like a normal human being because I’m not a normal human being. I’m a monster.”

As he spoke, tears began to form in Remus’ eyes, making him feel that much more pitiful. He stared directly ahead, looking at the flames of the fire and clenching his jaw, urging himself to stay calm. Urging himself to not lose control.

“Remus,” James began slowly, his tone soft and unwavering, “you are not a monster—and don’t try to argue with me, because I happen to be right about this. You’ve just got a…furry little problem. And it sucks. Truly. I can’t even begin to imagine what it is like for you. But you’ve got me, Moony. And you’ve got Sirius and Pete and Lily, too. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Despite popular belief that James Potter was too arrogant to be empathetic toward anyone else’s needs, Remus knew the truth. Out of all of them, James was probably the most empathetic, carrying the weight of his friends’ troubles on his shoulders without question because, as he had often put it, “that’s just what friends do.”

So, Remus allowed himself to cry at his friends proclamation, because it was James and James wouldn’t look at him any differently for it. And as he cried, he felt the strong arms of his friend wrap around him and gratefully leaned into them, allowing himself to be comforted.

After awhile, Remus became sleepy, exhausted from the day and from sobbing his eyes out. James seemed to have noticed and coaxed him up from the couch, leading him back to the dorm room and promptly putting him into bed before the rest of Gryffindor house flooded the common area.

“Merlin, you really are like your mother.” Remus giggled lightly as James even took the initiative to tuck Remus into his blankets. James just rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

“Piss off.”

“Is there anything else you need?” James asked once Remus was all settled. A smirk appeared on his face. “I’ve got honeydukes in my bag.”

Remus smiled, a warm feeling pooling in his chest at the kindness of his friend.

“You really thought of everything, didn’t you, Prongs?”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! comments and kudos are always appreciated!   
> come chat with me on tumblr @xomarauders


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